Can Salvation be Eternal Other Than in Eternity? 

By Pastor George D. Cutler

Grace Gospel Ministry

The majority of Christendom has historically resisted and even adamantly militated against the actualization of an individual’s salvation in the eternal sphere; in favor of activation of such in time based upon some active initiation or passive response of its recipients. The basic principal in assessing the point of salvation’s initial existence; entails the comprehension that all the acts of God are IMMANENT. The etymology (origin) of the term “immanent,” is derived from the Latin meaning “to remain in place,” as it denotes “remaining or operating within a domain of reality or realm of discourse.” Thus, it is that which is inherent (the constitution or essential character of something) or specifically that which has its existence or effectuation exclusively within the Decree (mind and consciousness) of God. Hence, the Apostle Paul’s epistles definitively document all the workings of God as immanent acts that are eternal in every aspect yet they are in many instances consistently interpreted by most ministries as occurrences that are actualized in the arena of time. In noting this, the basic question may be posed: CAN SALVATION BE ETERNAL OTHER THAN IN ETENITY? In other words, can an entity be considered eternal when its origin is ontological placed in creation and time arenas, which are terminable? Wouldn’t such cease to exist when its sphere of enactment is concluded? Also, if God self exists in eternity in spirit form, then wouldn’t all spiritual and eternal blessings be initiated and actualized in this realm and shouldn’t they be definitively differentiated from all physical entities, which are manifestly only effectuations or revelations of physicality in time?

As one focuses in on the Scriptures, these questions must all be surveyed in light of the knowledge of the revelation of the Mystery, the superior volume of truth that was hidden for ages but are now revealed to the Body of Christ in the Grace dispensation. Chapter one of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians tersely and definitively addresses the question as to: whether the sins of the body of believers were taken away in time or eternity? Pointed corroboration of this is documented by the Apostle John in Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The fact that the elect were justified by the propitiation of Christ’s blood from eternity is plainly inferred in support of this view, particularly in the phrase, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The message is that in the Decree of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was slain from eternity. Therefore as God perceived it, so were all the elect justified through His blood before the world was ever created. This view is corroborates by I Peter 1:19-20 in a parallel text, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unblemished and unspotted, foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world and manifested in the last times because of you.” Also Acts 2:23 coroborates that all was settled in the mind of God from eternity as it states, “this one, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, handed over by lawless hands, having been crucified, you killed.” These Scriptures clearly declare that what Christ accomplished; was purposed, decreed, predestinated and culminated by God from before time and cannot be denied upon careful examination of their messages. Hence all the workings of salvation were accomplished from eternity, as the focus is on the elect’s placement in the Body of Christ, which results in the ultimate glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the eternal sphere.

In essence, God’s will to elect, is in effect the election itself; hence His will to justify, is the justification itself; as these are all immanent acts in God. These were all acts of His grace towards those who are the recipients of His salvation ……. wholly without them, which entirely reside in the Divine Mind or Decree of God. The actualization of such was effectuated in His estimating, accounting and constituting salvation through the righteousness of Christ and as such, did not first commence in time but in eternity. The Scriptures document that God’s Decree and Will to elect designated ones to everlasting life and salvation actually engaged the activation of His election; thus His will not to impute sin to them is in fact the non-imputation of it. From these same indicia, God’s will to impute the righteousness of Christ to designated ones, is in fact His imputation of it to them, as His Decree or Will to sanctify, is their sanctification. These are all immanent acts in God, which have complete essence in His will, all entirely within Himself and not transiently actualized by or in external subjects, as such cannot produce any real and inherent execution but only physical manifestation. Hence the enactment and existence of salvation was materialized though the will of God as being a complete act in His eternal mind without mankind (who was not yet creatively manifested) as it concomitantly engenders His will to save, which is salvation itself. Hence, none of the workings of salvation are enacted or brought to pass by humans nor requires their manifested existence for God to exert His powerful and efficacious grace upon them.

Accordingly, all the spiritual blessings of salvation (Ephesians 1:3) fall in the category of God’s immanent acts, which only requisites are that they have occurred in the mind of God alone and do not require any external (manifested) motions on God’s part. In other words, as God thought (decreed) salvation, such was a reality. As the Scriptural documentation of the Doctrine of Election is scrutinized, it evinces that it   indeed was an internal act of God. Most will agree that nothing external was required in God’s Election, which is simply viewed as God’s purpose and will to choose.  However, the majority purport that no other Doctrines of Salvation are in this category since their recipients had to be first created because the external acts of God to save must be performed in the sphere where such manifestly resides. Here their reasoning is that something must be done “more” than the Purpose and Decree of God, i.e., before God can save, He must first create objects upon which He can act to save.  Thus, in this scheme of cogitation, the Workings of Salvation cannot be completed in eternity since they MUST BE WORKED OUT IN TIME; hence Salvation requires the manifested creation of its RECIPIENT(S). However, from Scriptural analyzation, it is clear that the enactment of Salvation required no external exertions. Unfortunately, it is construed that the manifestation of God’s eternal workings upon their objects are requirements for conferment of salvation upon His elect but they have failed to recognize that the absolute requirement for such resides solely in God’s Decree. What a Scriptural under-sight! God’s Decree alone is in effect SALVATION itself